William Said:

when applying for an IT job, will you get a written job offer? or just verbal?

We Answered:

When you are hired, you get a written offer, with your job title, salary and start date.

Eric Said:

I accepted a job offer verbally, but I have not received any written job offer from the employer. I am worried

We Answered:

When you receive a verbal job offer the correct procedure is to immediately send a letter detailing the substance of your conversation and thanking the person with whom you spoke. This would have covered you in this case. You say it has been a month but you do not say when you were supposed to start. Is the start date approaching? If so, a simple letter stating that you understand that you were to start on x date would work. Something like this:

Dear xxxxxx:

It was a pleasure to speak with you recently regarding the position of xxxxxx. I look forward to working with you and I am sure that I will be a positive asset to your staff. As agreed, I will report to work on xxxxxxx.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

If there is a problem I am sure they would contact you.

Marjorie Said:

Is it ethical to decline a written job offer after it was accepted ?

We Answered:

You are "at will employee". You can leave, anytime.

Micheal Said:

How do you politely request a new employer to put your job offer in writing?

We Answered:

Just ask. When they call and offer it to you on the phone, just say "that sounds great! Would you mind putting that in writing for me?" I've always done this and have never had a problem getting a new employer to agree to it. Its the best way to be sure that everyone is on the same page.

If the employer has already offered you the position, just call them up and ask for them to put it in writing so that you can confirm the terms of the offer. Easy as pie.

Jerry Said:

Should I try to renegotiate salary with my current employer? Before or after I receive the written job offer?

We Answered:

That depends. Some managers feel that once an employee gives notice, there's no sense in countering an offer from another employer with an offer for a raise to keep you on board, since they feel your loyalty is already gone and that you'd just leave when the next better offer came along anyway. Others are willing to increase your salary to keep you there. It also depends on your performance at your present employer and how much you are worth to them.

Negotiate salary with your new prospective employer and decide whether you really do want to leave your current employer before telling your current company.

Use online salary calculators such as those at Salary.com to get a better idea of salary ranges in your target job. Basic salary reports are free, or you can buy a custom report more specific to your situation. You can then use this as "ammunition" in your negotiations with your prospective new employer.

Negotiating salary is a complex process. Keep in mind that it's important to leverage the value you can bring to a company rather than just wanting a higher salary without providing evidence supporting your case.

To your success,

David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves
http://www.getajobbook.com